Queensland Reds showed promise but it wasn’t enough to stop their losing streak against NSW Waratahs

There was bravery and there were counter-punches but the Reds still suffered a 10th straight knockout at the hands of arch-rivals, the Waratahs, leaving a deep wound of interstate inferiority.

Samu Kerevi gets on his bike against the Waratahs.

Stop the bleeding, please.

There was bravery and there were counter-punches but the 10th straight knockout inflicted by the NSW Waratahs still leaves Queensland with the deep wound of interstate inferiority.

Not since 1963 when the Reds were digesting a 13-match losing streak has the hurt been as deep against their oldest foe.

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The Reds fell 28-17 and will rue dropped ball at key moments for not sustaining more pressure when their best shot at winning in Sydney since 2013 was possible.

It was three tries apiece but just one-from-four with the boot from goalkicker Bryce Hegarty was a handbrake.

Skipper Samu Kerevi had implored a fast start but from 13-0 down after 20 minutes it turned into the same old script of fighting hard, rallying and being killed off by a clinical opposition strike.

Coach Brad Thorn lamented that the Reds had gone backwards with poor handling and wasted chances in the first interstate game played between sandy divots.

Neither Thorn or skipper Samu Kerevi used the sub-standard SCG surface as an excuse even though it clearly muted how effective the powerful Queensland scrum could have been.

Thorn did say the shifting turf was “disappointing” but angled in more on general waste instead with the Reds having 68 per cent of possession.

“I felt we went toe-to-toe with the Highlanders and Crusaders but this was a disappointing step backwards,” Thorn said.

“NSW gave us so many opportunities but you can’t win games of footy when you don’t look after the ball.

“You have to win ugly sometimes and NSW won this one ugly.

“Samu played his heart out and there were a lot of guys working hard but those errors really hurt.”

NSW and Queensland pack the scrum at the SCG.

When Hegarty dabbed through a neat kick for winger Sefa Naivalu’s try, the Reds were right in it at 21-17 with 15 minutes to play.

Four minutes later, replacement NSW winger Alex Newsome was zipping over to quell the uprising.

The review of the game by the Reds needs to be harsh.

The kicking was better but the first poor hacked clearance by halfback Moses Sorovi after 41 minutes was run back as a try to Curtis Rona.

On the slippery, shifting surface at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Hegarty, Scott Higginbotham, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Duncan Paia’aua were only the most obvious to knock-on. Sorovi’s pass was laboured.

The Waratahs were better when they had to be and grabbed several relieving penalties when the Reds pushed too early in scrums.

Chris Feauai-Sautia scores against NSW Waratahs.

Fullback punt Isaac Lucas was just 14 in Grade 8 at St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace, when brother Ben scored a try when the Reds last beat the Waratahs in 2013.

He’s been worth the wait. Just before half-time, deceptive footwork from both Lucas and Kerevi created space for winger Chris Feauai-Sautia to scoot clear for a try.

Lucas plays without fear. He felled Israel Folau with a textbook tackle even though he was giving away nearly 20kg and made another neat, stepping 15m run.

Things could have gone pear-shaped from there with the Reds down to 14 men with prop JP Smith in the sin bin but a Kerevi try made sure there was no damage.

Lock Rob Simmons had a strong game against his old state with a rattling tackle on Salakaia-Loto and a little firebreathing with Angus Scott-Young.

Karmichael Hunt, in the centres, was solid and one forced penalty at the tackle was typical of the Waratahs stalling the Reds’ flow.

Queensland can’t stop Alex Newsome scoring a try.

The famous SCG looked more like a pockmarked minigolf course with giant sandy divots and peeled back turf. The footing was borderline dangerous when the turf shredded once under more than 1700kg of heaving scrum weight.

Replacement backrower Caleb Timu added some dynamic metres off the bench, reserve hooker Alex Mafi was strong, Kerevi was excellent again and prop Taniela Tupou ran with relish early.

Heart was not enough when Hegarty and Liam Wright made trysaving tackles. Quick ruck-base runs were a clever tactic that worked but it still all adds up to a 0-3 start to Super Rugby.

The Reds had conceded 16 tries and scored just four in their four previous crash-landings in Sydney when they’d been flogged by an average of 23 points so improvement, yes.

The winning list, no.

Originally published as Queensland Reds showed promise but it wasn’t enough to stop their losing streak against NSW Waratahs